WEBVTT SUPPORT FROM THECITY COUNCIL.THE FATE OF THIS BUILDUP RESTWITH THE MAYOR.NO ONE IS GOING TO BE ROLLING INDOUGH WHEN -- BUT YOU CAN'TOTHERS CONSIDER $15 AN HOUR ALIVING WAGE.LIFTING PEOPLE OFF WELFARE ANDINCREASING THE CITY TAX BASE.>> MORE INCOME TAX FOR THE CITY.IT WILL INCREASE HOME OWNERSHIPWHICH MEANS MORE PROPERTY TAXESTHE CITY.DAVID: BALTIMORE CITY COUNCILVOTED 11-3 IN FAVOR OF RAISINGMINIMUM WAGE $15 AN HOUR BY2022.THE ILLS SPONSOR CONSIDERS IT AGOOD START TO CHIPPING AWAY ATPOVERTY.>> IT WILL NEVER BE ONE THING.BUT IT HAS TO START WITHSOMETHING.DAVID: THOSE OPPOSED BELIEVE THECITY CANNOT AFFORD IT.CITY FINANCE OFFICIALS WARN ITCOULD COST TAXPAYERS 150 MILLIONDOLLARS OVER FOUR YEARS BECAUSECITY WAGES WOULD INCREASE.OTHER PICKS -- INCLUDE PAYINGFOR THE POLICE CONSENT DEGREE.INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ANDTHE CITY SCHOOLS $130 MILLIONDEFICIT.>> AT WHAT POINT ARE WECONSTRAINING THE CITY'S BUDGETTO LEAVE NO DISCRETION AS TO HOWTO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD ANDACHIEVE THE CITY'S GOALS.>> WHAT PROGRAM SHALL BE CUT TOPROPOSE THIS LEGISLATION, YOUTHPROGRAMS, APPRENTICESHIP IN JOBTRAININGS, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITYCENTERS.DAVID: IT GIVES BUSINESSES WITHFEWER THAN 50 EMPLOYEES UNTIL2026 TO COMPLY.THE MAYOR ESTABLISHES A TRAININGWAIT FOR UP TO SIX MONTH WITHTHE EXPECTATION THE INDIVIDUALWILL BE HIRED.SHE IS STILL CONSIDERING THEBILL.>> I AM ANALYZING THISPARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATIONIN ITS TOTALITY.DAVID: WHEN BUSINESSORGANIZATION IS EXPRESSINGDISAPPOINTMENT.THIS INCREASED LABOR COSTS WILLLEAD TO LAYING OFF WORKERS,REDUCING THEIR HOURS WEREDRIVING THEIR BUSINESSES OUT OFTHE CITY LIMITS COMPLETELY.ACCORDING TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE,SHE HAS UP TO 30 DAYS TO ACT ONTHE LEGISLATION.

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While workers welcome the increase, some retailers said the increase would put them out of business.

The City Council voted 11-3 Monday evening in favor of the bill.

"More income tax for the city," said Ricara Jones, chair of the Fight for $15 Coalition. "It means it's going to increase home ownership, which means more property tax for the city. Folks are going to have more money to spend at businesses."

"It's never going to be one thing, but it's got to start with something," Clarke said.

Those opposed to the bill believe the city cannot afford such an increase.

"We'd be an island among ourselves. Surrounding jurisdictions would not have similar legislation imposing the $15 an hour. (It) puts an additional cost on businesses in Baltimore City, causing them to consider about hiring more people, or possibly laying off, or possibly moving out of the city of Baltimore," said Don Fry, CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee.

City finance officials warn it could cost taxpayers $115 million over four years because city wages will also increase.

Other expenses the city must deal with over the next few years include paying for the police consent decree, EPA-mandated infrastructure improvements and the city school's $130 million deficit.

"At what point are we constraining the city's budget to leave no discretion as to how to move the city forward and achieve the city's goals?" Councilman Eric Costello said.

"What programs are we supposed to cut to support this legislation?" Councilman Leon Pinkett said. "Youth programs? Apprenticeships and job training? Libraries? Community centers?"

The minimum wage bill exempts workers under 21 and it gives businesses with less than 50 employees until 2026 to comply.

Sharon Black with the Workers Assembly said they have an issue with some of the amendments to the bill, like excluding workers under the age of 21, which, she said, "affects a lot of people here in Baltimore, especially hard-working mothers who have to hold down two and three jobs sometimes just to support their children."

Black said that can be changed later, but in the meantime, the bill will help many families make ends meet.

"What's taking place now is poverty wages. The minimum wage has not been raised for decades now, and it really needs to be raised to a level that people can afford to feed their families," Black said.

The Greater Baltimore Committee said it understands people need to make a living wage but, Fry said, "At the same, time these are entry-level positions, and the best way to help people in entry-level positions is to provide them with additional education, additional workforce training, help them find career pathways to help them move up the ladder to gain further employment. Just increasing the minimum wage is not going to make the difference for them."

The Mayor's Office told 11 News that Mayor Catherine Pugh is still analyzing the bill. Pugh's amendment to the bill establishes a training wage for up to six months with the expectation that the individual will be hired.

"The state's minimum wage increase takes place in 2018. The bill does not change that, so we know that that's already in place, so there is an increase that's going to take place. I'm currently reviewing the entire bill, and I'll make a decision shortly," Pugh said.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses has expressed disappointment in Monday's vote.

"This increased labor cost will lead to laying off workers, reducing their hours or driving their business out of the city limits completely," the organization said in a statement.